Oktoberfest returns to downtown Des Moines for its 15th year

For all you frauleins and herrs out there, it's time to dress up in your dirndls and lederhosen and head downtown.

Des Moines’ Oktoberfest is returning to the heart of downtown and celebrating 15 years as the metro’s original Oktoberfest. The festival is happening outside Hessen Haus — Des Moines’ only German restaurant and bier hall.

The German-themed festival will take place September 28-29 from 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. both days, rain or shine. Over the years, the festival has grown to take over 4th Street south of Court Avenue and Market Street between 3rd and 4th Streets.

C.J. Leinenkugel, a sixth-generation member of the famous Leinenkugel family from Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, will oversee the tapping of the Golden Keg on Friday.

“We are thrilled to celebrate our 15th year right where we started — in the middle of beautiful downtown Des Moines,” said Mindy Toyne, festival organizer and co-founder. “This festival truly has something for everyone and we look forward to hosting old friends and making new ones in the true tradition of Oktoberfest."

Oktoberfest logo.(Photo: In Any Event/Special to the Register)

Here's what's new for 2018

Oktoberfest 2018 has a few new events this year:

OktoBeer Yoga:Science Center of Iowa will host OktoBeer Yoga on the evening of Wednesday, September 26, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Admission includes a one-hour yoga session and a drink ticket. The first 15 attendees to register will get a free Oktoberfest t-shirt.

New dance troupes: Two authentic dance troupes have been added this year: the Amana Colony Folksingers and UNI IDT Dance Company. The Polka Club of Iowa will also be on hand, giving formal polka dance lessons on Saturday from 3 to 5 p.m.

Oktoberfest in Full Swing(Photo: In Any Event/Special to the Register)

The Bier

Des Moines’ Oktoberfest features plenty of tented beer gardens with ample seating throughout the festival grounds. This year’s festival features the largest lineup of German beers ever offered, as well as a diverse menu of seasonal and craft beers in the Craft Beer Village:

And once again, the Lederhosen Lounge will feature the famous 2-liter glass boots of beer for groups to enjoy.

As a special upgrade for the 15th annual celebration, the festival will feature branded pint glasses for all general attendees, along with the specialty half-liter steins for those who purchase tickets in advance. “Festers” who bring their glass back on the second night will get into the festival for $5.

Oktoberfest in full swing.(Photo: In Any Event/Special to the Register)

The Bar

Every bar will have signature cocktails and the Dr. McGillacuddy’s Schnappski that attendees have come to expect and love. All beers (even German imports) and cocktails are $5.

Oktoberfest in full swing.(Photo: Stan Richard/Special to the Register)

Enjoy the party plaza

Attendees dressed in German attire will be eligible to win free beer tickets throughout the festival and participate in the bier maiden and stein holding, or Masskrugstemmen, competitions.

A charity round of stein holding will be held Saturday afternoon where local celebrities will test their strength in order to earn the title and a donation to their favorite charity. (A full liter of beer weighs over five pounds.)

﻿Bobbing for Apfel — Try to catch an apple in your teeth in 30 seconds without using your hands. Winners get a free shot of Dr. McGillicuddy's Apple Pie. Competitors may compete multiple times until they win but cannot win more than once per night.

Hammerschlagen — A group gathers around a waist-high log and everyone takes a nail. The goal is to use one hand and hammer your nail all the way into the log using the thin, wedge edge of the hammer with a single swing each turn. To win, the nail must be flush with or below the surface of the wood.

Stein Pong — Players will compete in two-member teams with six steins per team. The steins will be filled with water and players will drink beer from their commemorative Oktoberfest Mug given upon entry into the event. Stein Pong works like traditional beer pong following Oktoberfest haus rules.

Cornhole (Mais Loch) — Teams of two will compete against each other by throwing bean bags at a raised platform with a hole in the far end. A bag in the hole scores three points, a bag on the platform scores one point and scores will cancel out during each round of play. A team wins when they score 21 points total.

Beer Checkers — Two players will compete in a standard game of checkers using shot glasses full of beer instead of pawns and kings. When one of your shot glasses, jumps an opponent's shot glass, the opponent has to drink.

Don't forget to visit the Braid Bar where a braiding specialist can give you one of many looks, including French braids and Heidi braid crowns.

Oktoberfest in full swing.(Photo: Stan Richard/Special to the Register)

Entertainment and schedule of events

Des Moines’ Oktoberfest features three stages of entertainment. The first is the Leinenkugel’s Main Stage that showcases the region’s best polka bands.

This year's lineup includes the Bill Koncar Band, Jim Kucera Band, Malek’s Fishermen Band and The Polka Police headlining both evenings. Jäger and the Polkameisters will also join this year’s lineup as a new act on the polka main stage.

The Acoustic Stage:

At 5:30 each evening, the acoustic stage will open on Market Street in front of the Science Center of Iowa. This stage will feature local acts:

Brian Congdon

Old Hippie Machine

Mike Aceto

Mike Fonda and The Sheet

Oktoberfest in full swing.(Photo: Stan Richard/Special to the Register)

Silent Disco DSM

At 8 p.m. the DJs will take the Silent Disco DSM stage located on the festival plaza. You control the volume and the channel as you enjoy three DJs mixing live and battling for your attention as you experience it through your own wireless headset.

This year will feature 12 different local DJs switching out between the three stations:

Oktoberfest in full swing.(Photo: Stan Richard/Special to the Register)

Schedule of events

Warm up for the weekend festival with Zooktoberfest on Thursday, September 27, at Blank Park Zoo from 5:30 to 8:00 pm with this twist on Des Moines’ Zoo Brew and Oktoberfest. Visit www.blankparkzoo.com for details.

Here's the short schedule:

Oktoberfest opens at 3 p.m.

Party Plaza opens at 3 p.m.

Acoustic Stage begins at 5:30 p.m.

Silent Disco DSM begins at 8 p.m.

And here's a play-by-play for each day:

Friday, September 28

3 to 5:30 p.m.: Tapping of the Golden Keg and Malek's Fishermen Band on the Leinenkugel’s Main Stage

5:30 to 6:15 p.m.: Amana Colony Folksingers on the Leinenkugel’s Main Stage

Oktoberfest in full swing.(Photo: In Any Event/Special to the Register)

The history of Oktoberfest

The first Oktoberfest was not really a festival at all, but the public celebration of the wedding of Crown Prince Luitpold I and Princess Theressa of Bavaria on October 17, 1810. Held on a large meadow in Munich, the party featured a horse race, beer, food, music and dancing.

Anniversary celebrations continued each year, usually starting in late September and ending in the first week of October. Oktoberfests have been held in Munich for almost 200 years (with the exception of wartime). As immigrants from Germany came to North America, smaller Oktoberfests sprouted up in their communities.

Oktoberfest in full swing.(Photo: Stan Richard/Special to the Register)

Tickets and info

Tickets cost $10 per day and include a commemorative pint glass to celebrate the 15th year. Guests returning on Saturday with their glass get in for $5. Single tickets are $7 in advance at all area Hy-Vee Stores or via tikly.co. Weekend passes are $12.

For more info, visit oktoberfestdsm.com or follow Oktoberfest on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and through #ProstDSM for ticket and prize giveaways including a Grand Prize for 15 people to escort the Golden Keg into the festival on the Big Yellow Bike with C.J. Leinenkugel.